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Sunday, September 28, 2008

QPR-Derby Match Reports and Post-Match Comments

-Sunday Times/Roy Collins - Derby delight QPR boss Iain Dowie said beforehand that he was beginning “to like the smell of his team’s dressing room”. But the air in there would have been bluer than Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen after Rangers became the first club to lose a home league match to Derby for 18 months. After a promising start to the season it was a second successive league defeat for QPR. Fans of both sides were more worried by the nasty smell of profiteering, Derby fans preventing Rangers from putting a £10 increase on their seats after an appeal to the league. And though QPR are now in money terms the Manchester City of the Championship, their supporters are not keen to pay Eastlands prices, protesting outside against match banding that raises tickets to £50 for some matches. Derby manager Paul Jewell would happily have paid 100 times that for his dugout seat if you had told him before kick-off that he would claim his first away bonus since taking over last November. Thanks to late goals from Martin Albrechtsen and substitute Emmanuel Villa, the laughing stocks of last year’s Premier League are now having a quiet chuckle. “We’re making progress,” said Jewell, after four games without defeat. QPR had won all their previous four games at home but struggled to find any cohesion. Dowie admitted: “We never passed the ball with any fluency and that is something we normally pride ourselves on. But I could sense the players’ disappointment afterwards and that’s a good thing.” Star man:Paul Green (Derby) Referee:A Taylor Attendance:14,311 QPR:Cerny 6, Connolly 6, Stewart 7, Hall 6, Delaney 6, Mahon 7 (Leigertwood 70min), Parejo 6, Rowlands 5, Ledesma 7 (Agyemang 76min), Buz-saky 6, Blackstock 6 DERBY:Carroll 6, Connolly 6, Leacock 6, Albrechtsen 6, Stewart 7, Barazite 6 (Davies 83min), Green 8, Addison 7, Pearson 7, Ellington 6 (Villa 75min), Hulse Sunday Times

Observer/Stuart Barnes - Jewell salutes his Derby heroes Paul Jewell called the Football League's refusal to grant Queens Park Rangers permission to increase prices for Derby fans for this match as 'a victory for common sense.' He hailed this subsequent success as maybe the turning point for a beleaguered club. Goals by Martin Albrechtsen and Emanuel Villa secured an unlikely but thoroughly deserved win. Derby are now unbeaten in four games since ending a record run of 36 without a league victory. They have yielded eight points and while Jewell acknowledges there is still a long way to go to put the club back on the right track, the signs are a great deal more promising than they were a few weeks ago. 'We were terrific - dominant from start to finish,' said Jewell. 'The win over Sheffield United gave us some impetus and a couple of scrappy draws kept things going. Here we showed we are definitely getting better. 'What happened last season has been hanging over us in a big way. Relegation, and the way it happened, took a major toll on everyone. We were so easy to beat then. Now we are proving difficult to beat and if that happens you always have a chance. 'It's now important to consolidate. We are still well behind where I want us to be and I'm not going to make any rash predictions. The season is still in its infancy and this division could be as unpredictable as ever. I know it's a boring cliche, but we are going to take each game as it comes. But any team who can string two or three wins together can make a major move up the table.' Jewell added: 'I'm really pleased for our supporters. They have travelled the length and breadth of the country, usually to see us beaten, so it's good that they can see a win as good as this one.' Rangers went into the game brimful of confidence, complementing their bright start to the Championship campaign with a midweek Carling Cup win over Aston Villa which has been rewarded with a fourth round tie against Manchester United at Old Trafford. But they rarely came to terms with Derby's tenacity and organisation and manager Iain Dowie said: 'We won plenty of second balls against Villa, but not today. There was no fluency about our play - maybe there were a few tired legs out there. Particularly disappointing was conceding from two set-pieces. If we had taken the best chance of the first half, it might have been different. 'But credit to Derby. They came and did a good job. Sometimes you have to take it on the chin and move on. I can sense the disappointment among the players and that's how it should be.' Before the kick-off, Rangers chairman Flavio Briatore issued a statement denying a report that the club were considering changing their name to Queens Park City. 'Pure fabrication,' Briatore insisted. His side survived an early scare when Paul Connelly's long, low cross from the right touch-line somehow skidded across the face of goal. Derby survived an even bigger one when Emanuel Ledesma played in Daniel Parejo. Striker Dexter Blackstock looked a racing certainty to turn the resulting low centre into a goal until the ball was scrambled clear. But these were isolated goalmouth incidents in a first half lacking shape and substance. The second opened in much more promising fashion. Ledesma's shot was deflected against the far post with Roy Carroll scrambling across his line trying to cover it. After that it was a much more eventful affair. Rob Hulse, clear on goal, was denied by a splendid challenge from Damion Stewart, scorer of the Rangers winner at Villa Park. Blackstock struck a post, while Derby went close again twice. Nacer Barazite, on loan from Arsenal, fired inches over, while Miles Addison hit the bar with a drive from almost 35 yards. Derby's growing influence was rewarded when Barazite's corner came out to Albrechtsen who, from just inside the penalty area, scored through a crowd of players. Barazite made way for Steve Davies, who matched the youngster by delivering the corner from the same flank for his side's second. This time it was a twisting header by substitute Villa, who had replaced Nathan Ellington, that did the trick. Guardian

SUNDAY PEOPLE/Chris Davies - QPR 0-2 DERBYCoca Cola FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP Jubilant Jewell wins on the road Paul Jewell finally got his first away win in the league as Derby boss and said: "This is a start. It gives us hope." This victory was the Rams' first success on the road in the league since they won at Barnsley 18 months ago, having failed to win on their travels in the Premier League last season. It was only two weeks ago that Jewell, appointed last November, tasted his first league win as manager when the Rams beat Sheffield United. Yesterday, the long-awaited away win came and, with Paul Green pulling the strings in midfield, it was no fluke. Derby were dubbed the worst Premier League side ever after one win all season. But Jewell can see some light at the end of the tunnel after goals by Martin Albrechtsen and Emanuel Villa sank Rangers. Jewell said: "We're getting better. I didn't realise the cloud of relegation would hang over for so long. "We had no confidence - you get that by winning matches. In some ways we're still staggering off the ropes. "We still have a long way to go and we're a way behind where we want to be, but this is a start. It gives us hope. We're becoming more difficult to beat and play against. "This is a new team, the United win gave us some impetus and today we dominated the game. Roy Carroll hardly had a shot to save." Derby fans had objected to the Loftus Road ticket prices which QPR, the Championship's richest club, tried to increase by £10. "I'm pleased for the fans who have travelled the length and breadth of the country usually seeing us getting beaten," said Jewell. "When you win a game it's always money well spent." Both goals came from corners on the right. The first, by Nacer Barazite in the 80th minute, was swept home by Albrechtsen at the far post. With a minute remaining Steve Davies' corner was headed past Radek Cerny by substitute Villa. Rangers boss Iain Dowie remained upbeat after their second successive league defeat but was unhappy with his side's sloppy display. He said: "We didn't pass the ball with any fluency, we didn't win the second ball, we never clicked into gear and we gave up possession with unforced errors. "We conceded from two set-pieces, which was poor. We had chances but we never really got going. "But it is one we can bounce back from against Blackpool in midweek because we have a good bunch of lads. You have to take things on the chin - good luck to Derby." Rangers' best chance came in the 22nd minute. A superb cross from the right by the dangerous Emanuel Ledesma saw Carroll just beat Daniel Parejo to the ball which bounced free. Paul Connolly managed to clear the danger as Dexter Blackstock tried to force the ball over the line. Qpr: Cerny 6 - Connolly 6, D Stewart 7, Hall 6, Delaney 5 - *LEDESMA 8 (Agyemang, 78 mins), Mahon 7 (Leigertwood, 70mins, 5), Parejo 7, Buzsaky 6 (Cook, 57mins, 6) - Rowlands 6 - Blackstock 6.Derby County: Carroll 7 - Connolly 7, Leacock 6, Albrechtsen 7, J Stewart 7 - Barazite 6 (Davies, 84mins), *GREEN 8, Addison 6, Pearson 7 - Ellington 6 (Villa, 76mins), Hulse 7.Referee: A Taylor 7. Sunday People

Derby County Official Site - JEWELL: FEET STAY ON THE GROUND Paul Jewell felt the Rams deserved their 2-0 success at Queens Park Rangers - but he's refusing to get too carried away. Derby had the upper-hand for large periods at Loftus Road and earned a fine win against the mega-rich Hoops. It took the unbeaten run to four games and while Jewell was delighted with the result, he is keen to keep everyone's feet on the ground. "It is nice to be talking after another win and we are uneaten in four games, which is a big improvement," he said after the win in West London. "I thought we were terrific today. We came here in the blazing-hot sun against a team with a 100 per cent home record but we controlled the game from start to finish. "I said last week that at times it wouldn't be pretty so we have been digging and if you make yourself hard to beat it's a start. "We are not creating millions of chances but we controlled things today. "It was our first clean sheet in the league since the 0-0 draw with Sunderland in March but we are trying to put last year's results and experiences behind us. "We have to look forward now and we are looking forward to the visit of Birmingham on Tuesday, which will be a difficult game but we can go into it with some confidence." The victory at QPR was built on solid foundations with goalkeeper Roy Carroll enjoying a quiet afternoon and rarely being tested. In front of him, centre-half Martin Albrechtsen opened the scoring with a goal almost identical to his strike against Cardiff City seven days ago. Derby wrestled control of midfield away from the home side to give themselves the platform to earn their points. "I thought both Martin and Deano were terrific at the back but so were the whole team," said Jewell. "Greeny and Miles Addison were our tigers in midfield to control things for us and it was good to score from two set-pieces. "We haven't done well enough from set-pieces since I have been at the club but our last goals have come from them, which is very important. "The second was a nice corner from Steve Davies and Tito did what he does best. He had a cut ear but he won't feel the pain half as much after scoring his first goal of the season. "We've got our first away win of the season but we are only early in the season and there is a long haul ahead of us yet. "Of course we are pleased with the result but we are not going to get too carried away, and now we are looking forward to getting on with the job against Birmingham." Derby

QPR Official Site - DOWIE: WE MUST RESPOND Iain Dowie failed to his disappointment, as the R's slipped to their first home defeat of the campaign. Second half goals from Martin Albrechtsen and Emanuel Villa handed Derby County victory in W12, on an afternoon when Dowie's men failed to fire following their midweek victory against Aston Villa in the Carling Cup. "We fell asleep twice on set-pieces and that's very unlike us," Dowie told www.qpr.co.uk."We had two crazy moments and its cost us today."Our passing wasn't anywhere near good enough. We gave it away far too often. They won far more second balls we did."These days are going to happen. It's a 46 rung ladder and we've slipped up on one of the steps."Good luck to them, they deserved the victory and we've got to move on."Dowie is demanding a response from his side on Tuesday night, when Blackpool come to town."We had chances today and didn't take them, but we've got the chance to bounce back against Blackpool on Tuesday and we need to do that," he said."The Championship is good in that way, because the matches come so thick and fast. But we weren't anywhere near good enough today and we've got to respond." QPR

News Of The World/Steve Goodman - Paul Jewell off the ropes at last DERBY boss Paul Jewell saw his team end their long away jinx and then joked: “Don’t back us for promotion yet.” The Rams earned their first league win on the road for two seasons thanks to late goals from Martin Albrechtsen and Emanuel Villa. It stretched their unbeaten run to four games after enduring a nightmare Premier League season and a hungover start to the current campaign — going 36 matches in all without victory. But, at Loftus Road, Derby made nonsense of moneybags QPR’s top-flight dreams by winning with ease. Jewell admitted: “We are just getting off the ropes. I won’t say we will now mount a promotion campaign. “It’s important for us to consolidate this season and there’s a long way to go. “I hadn’t realised the toll last season took on us. The way we got relegated, meant clouds hung over us all year. “But our win over Sheffield United gave us an impetus. Since then we’ve drawn two matches and we dominated today. “QPR were restricted to a few scrappy chances and we were terrific. Confidence comes from winning games.” Derby got the Football League to overturn QPR’s bid to raise ticket prices for visiting fans to £40. But Jewell’s men performed so impressively that even £100 would have seemed value for money for the Rams’ success-starved followers. Scares Derby were fully worth their win after surviving a few scares. Keeper Roy Carroll had to dive at Dexter Blackstock’s feet early on and Argentine youngster Emmanuel Ledesma saw his shot deflected onto a post. Blackstock also hit the woodwork just past the hour but Rangers’ centre backs needed two last-ditch tackles to prevent Nathan Ellington and Rob Hulse scoring. Derby went close again when Miles Addison’s 30-yard snap shot hit the top of the crossbar. They finally broke through 11 minutes from time when on-loan Arsenal youngster Nacer Barazite’s corner found Albrechtsen at the far post. The Danish centre back took one touch to control and another in drilling a low shot through a crowded penalty area. Albrechtsen’s second goal in a week knocked the stuffing out of QPR and Derby made the game safe a minute from time with a near carbon-copy finish. This time two substitutes combined, with Steve Davies’ corner picking out Villa for a far-post header. Jewell added: “I’m really pleased for our long-suffering supporters. “They’ll have a nice trip home up the M1 and, for once, they can say their ticket money was well spent.” News of The World